7 Years After Article 370 Abrogation, PM Modi Hails J&K's Transformation as Omar Seeks Statehood

Seven years after the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A, Jammu and Kashmir once again became the centre of political attention on Wednesday as the anniversary witnessed government celebrations, opposition protests and renewed debates over the region's future.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described August 5, 2019, as a historic milestone that ushered in a new era of inclusive development for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. In a post on X, the Prime Minister said the past seven years had brought significant improvements in infrastructure, education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and sports, while the full application of the Constitution had empowered women and marginalised communities who had long been denied several constitutional rights. He also noted that this year's anniversary coincides with the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, saying the leader's vision of national unity found fulfillment with the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. Modi reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to ensuring that every citizen in J&K and Ladakh has opportunities to realise their aspirations and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat.

While the Centre highlighted development, political parties in Jammu and Kashmir marked the day with protests demanding the restoration of special status and statehood. The ruling National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) organised demonstrations across several districts. Protest marches led by senior NC leaders, including Minister Sakina Itoo, and PDP leaders Iltija Mufti, Waheed Para and Mohit Bhan were stopped by police before they could proceed.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the "wounds have not yet healed" seven years after the constitutional changes and asserted that the Centre's promise to restore statehood remains unfulfilled. Reiterating the National Conference's stand, he said the party would continue its democratic and legal efforts to seek justice and reverse decisions that, according to him, took away Jammu and Kashmir's rights and identity. In a post on X, Abdullah wrote that his party had "not forgotten" or accepted the current circumstances and ended his message with lines from Robert Frost's poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.

PDP leader Iltija Mufti accused the administration of preventing peaceful protests and vowed that her party would continue its campaign for the restoration of Article 370 and the region's constitutional safeguards. Other Valley leaders, including Sajad Lone, M.Y. Tarigami and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also criticised the 2019 decision, describing it as a setback for Jammu and Kashmir's political and constitutional identity.

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrated the anniversary by organising victory rallies in Jammu, Srinagar, Anantnag and other districts. BJP leaders termed August 5 a landmark day that fully integrated Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India. West Pakistani refugees and members of the Valmiki community also marked the occasion by unfurling the Tricolour and distributing sweets, saying the constitutional changes ended decades of discrimination and opened new opportunities in education, employment and governance.

Ahead of the anniversary, Jammu and Kashmir Police had prohibited public gatherings without prior permission as a precautionary measure. Seven years after one of India's most significant constitutional decisions, Article 370 continues to evoke sharply contrasting narratives, hailed by the Centre as a milestone of development and national integration, while remaining a symbol of unresolved political aspirations for many in the Valley.